Tuesday, December 30, 2014

It is with deep regret that I have learned the sad fate of the missing AsiaAir jetliner. My thoughts and prayers are with the families of those who have suffered loss in this terrible tragedy. In my previous post, I postulated a possible scenario in which the jetliner may have been captured by terrorists for nefarious purposes. Clearly, this was not the case, a different tragedy has befallen this flight. Salvage efforts are underway as investigators attempt to determine what went wrong. Hopefully, the cause of the crash can be determined and precautions put in place to prevent another such disaster.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

I woke up this morning to the news that another southeastern Asia jetliner, AsiaAir flight QZ8501, has disappeared. The last contact from the pilot was a request to change altitude to avoid poor weather. A number of things makes this disappearance suspicious. First, there was no mayday or pan pan call by the pilot. A mayday call is used when disaster is immanent and pan pan is the call a pilot would use when disaster in probable but the flight is currently maintainable. This plane made no distress call, it simply disappeared without a sound and without a trace. Second, is the fact that this is the second jetliner that has disappeared in this region in the past year. Third is the naked threats made against the U S by radical Islamic regimes and governments. Recently, Isis proclaimed that it was in possession of a nuclear bomb. What is known for sure is that a number of suitcase nukes from the cold war are unaccounted for. What is known for sure is that Iran is currently processing nuclear material and attempting to join the nuclear bomb club. What is known for sure is that Islamic terrorists like to crash planes into American cities. Both Russia and Iran seem to have political sympathies with corrupt Islamic regimes and both nations are open in their disdain for the U S and other western countries. This week, Russia declared NATO to be the biggest threat to it's national security. Given the corruption of southeast Asian countries, the possibility that large amounts of money has changed hands to acquire a simple nuclear bomb delivery system is likely. Isis, or even Iran, would have a difficult time developing or acquiring a delivery system capable of sending a nuclear bomb to a U S city, but an airplane loaded with bombs and nuclear material could easily fly into U S airspace and crash into major cities across the nation. Chatter concerning nuclear events in U S cities have been intercepted for months. Iran has threatened America, Isis has threatened America, Islamic Jihad has threatened America. Even as the current administration is threatening to bring sanctions against Israel and lessen sanctions against Iran, the Islamic world continues to threaten our safety. The United States does not come into play in end time prophecy, we are simply not there. The U S has been working very hard to alienate Israel as an ally, directly opposing God who promised to bless those who blessed Israel and to curse those who curse Israel. The U S has embraced evil like never before in it's domestic policies and almost all moral boundaries seem to have removed by the public at large. Even the organized church has abandoned Biblical truth for inclusiveness with the world. All of this mixes together a recipe for disaster. Pastor Jeffery Cahn and others have given dire warnings to the U S concerning impending judgement from God. I have written numerous posts about the danger we have placed ourselves in by ignoring God's commandments. I think of God's judgments on Sodom, on Balaam, and the warning of judgment found in Romans 1 to be overwhelmingly bad news for the U S A. I pray against hope for the people on flight QZ8501. I pray that this plane will be found and the people rescued. Sadly,I believe that this will not be the case. I fear that this plane has joined Malaysian flight 370 and is being prepared for an attack on U S cities. I pray that I am wrong. I pray for the flight and all on board, I pray for the searchers for safety and success, and I pray for out intelligence agencies to uncover any nefarious plots against U S cities. We are living in very uncertain times, with the only certainty being Jesus will be returning to for His people. We know that evil will increase in the last days and God wins in the end. We can only wait, watch and pray as the future unfolds. Now is the time for God's people to be more faithful than ever before and to be diligent about the great commission. My hope is in Christ!

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Friday, December 26, 2014

For the last eight months, I have had the best assignment of my 26 year career. That all came to an unexpected end two days before Christmas, when I received a phone call telling me that I would be reassigned to a city office. I was devastated by the news, as were my co-workers. I called my wife and we prayed together and then I spent a good part of my lunch praying as well. An unexplainable peace came over me, and I realized that God was in control and knew best and that even though this was not what I would have ever chosen, it would somehow be for the best.

Then I spoke to the person whom I would be replacing... Discouragement threatened to set in as she described the disaster I was coming into. That night I went to bed confident that God would see me through but at 4:30 the next morning, I inexplicably woke up in dread of the impending assignment change and spent the next hour and a half praying and pleading with God to fix things or at least give me the courage to face the inevitable. When I arrived at work on Christmas Eve, my coworkers were in a funk and complaining about the change. I was in a pretty decent mood and they were perplexed until I told them I had been wrestling with God since 4:30 that morning and God won, and that I had peace about the whole thing.

Tonight, my last night at my current office, I spoke with the manager I will be replacing on Monday and once again became very discouraged about my new assignment. I came home sad and worried. I have many commitments in the evening throughout the week and my new assignment promises to be very long days and not many days off. I once again went to prayer and asked God to show me some hope. That hope came in the form of my friend who called and offered to cover for me whenever I needed it. My friend also let me know the nature and cause of the problems at the new office and was confident that I would be able to fix things in a relatively short time.

I am ashamed to write this, as I know God is faithful and loves me, yet I doubted and got discouraged. I am reminded of the verse 2 Timothy 3:15 If we are faithless, He remains faithful for He cannot disown Himself. I am a child of God, bought and paid for by the blood of Christ. I am indwelt by the very Spirit of God and He promises to never leave me nor forsake me, He promises me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, and He promises me that all things work together for good because I love Him and am called according to His purpose. In my weakness, he is strong. Praise Him for He is God, Hallelujah!

Monday, December 22, 2014

Christmas time is upon us and people who never give a second thought about Jesus most of the year will be attending cantatas, candlelight services and other events that proclaim the truth of God's love. This time of year, above all others, we, the church, have the opportunity to share our faith to unbelievers. Unfortunately the babe in the manger has been overshadowed by Santa Clause, the message of the cross has been drowned out by calls for "peace on earth and good will towards men." I knew that Santa had stolen Christmas from Christ when my family attended a show at Dollywood a couple of years ago and a little girl in the show got on her knees and prayed to Santa to bring her brother home for Christmas. Pleas for peace on earth are great, but that peace will not be attained until King Jesus establishes his rule. What are believers to do. On one hand, we do not want to seem like humbugs who hate fun and say stupid things like "Santa is an anagram for Satan..." and on the other hand, it is imperative that we remain rooted in truth and not allow anything to take the focus from Jesus. The best way for me is to not get focused on the baby in the manger, but on the living Word seated at the right hand of the Father. Without the cross and the empty tomb, the manger is meaningless. Few people oppose to the image of the babe in the manger, as a baby is very non threatening. A baby laying on a pile of hay cannot compete for attention with a large bearded man in a red suit who hands out presents. We cannot force a lost world to ignore Santa Clause and embrace Christ the God/man who died for the world, nor should we. What we can do is share our experience with Christ against the backdrop of the babe in the manger. God's Spirit is gentle and so should we be when dealing with the lost. Much is said about "keeping the Christ in Christmas" and rightfully so, but we must avoid behaving militantly as doing so can cause more harm to the Gospel message than one hundred Santa Clauses. I make a point of not saying "Happy holidays" and when someone says it to me, I respond "Merry Christmas." I teach my kids that Santa is make believe but am careful to not intrude in other families choice to present Santa as real. As a believer, it is between you and God if you want to lie to your children about Santa and then try to convince them later that Jesus is real, but for unbelievers, there is no conflict. It is far more effective to make a disciple by modeling Christ and sharing my testimony than by attacking the pagan aspects of Christmas. I am very passionately opposed to the paganism that has become the main focus of most Christmas observances, but that is a conversation reserved for my home and among other believers. With unbelievers, I choose to focus on common ground and find opportunities to lead them to an understanding of their need for salvation. Participating in Christmas is a balancing act, to be sure, but the opportunity to share the truth is greater during this season than any other. Jesus called us to be wise as serpents but gentle as doves. May the blessings of Christ be yours this Christmas season!
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Sunday, December 14, 2014

As I was driving home tonight, I caught the tail end of a broadcast of Amazing Facts Radio. Amazing Facts Radio is a radio call in program, hosted by Doug Batchelor, in which people are able to call in with questions about the Bible. The radio program is an outreach ministry of Amazing Facts Ministries. The last caller of the show asked Batchelor why he had referred to James as "the older brother of Jesus." I was amazed at the answer Batchelor gave the caller, to say the least. Doug Batchelor stated that James, Jude, Simon and Joseph were half brothers of Jesus, sons of Joseph from a previous marriage. This answer is wrong on many levels. The Bible, in the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, states that Jesus had brothers and sisters: Mark 6:3 Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?" And they took offense at him. Mat 13:55 Is not this the carpenter's son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? Mat 13:56 And are not all his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all these things?" As stated above, there is no question that the Bible expressly states that Jesus had brothers and sisters. In fact, the epistles of Jude and James were actually written by the brothers of Christ. There should be little argument about this fact, but unfortunately, doctrines are sometimes formed in ignorance and when facts are presented to refute these doctrines, the facts are refashioned in order to fit the doctrine rather than rethinking or abolishing the wrong doctrine. The most common misconception concerning the brothers of Jesus is from the Roman Catholic doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary. When I asked a Catholic friend how he reconciled the passages above with the churches doctrine of perpetual virginity, he told me that the church believed that these brothers were actually cousins. I was surprised by my friend's response, I had no doubt that my friend was a genuine believer, we had many Bible discussions and agreed wholeheartedly on the essentials of the Christian faith. The verse that left my friend without any answer on the topic of Jesus' brothers, however, was Mathew 1:24-25 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus. (emphasis added). Clearly, this passage states that at some point, Joseph and Mary consummated their marriage. The Roman church also argues that the Greek word used for brothers adelphos, could be translated cousins. That would be good and well if there were no Greek word for cousin, but exadefos is the Greek word for cousin. Why would two different Gospel writers refer to Jesus' cousins as brothers and sisters when they could simply have written cousin? If one wants to argue that a matter must be established by two or more witnesses, and one wants to further argue that Mark and Matthew are one witness, we have a second (third by my count) witness, namely Paul the Apostle: Gal 1:19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord's brother. Guess what word Paul uses for brother - aldephos. Mathew, Mark and Paul could have easily used the Greek word for cousin, but they all three used aldephos because they all three meant brother or brothers. At least we do not have to refer to Philadelphia as the city of cousinly love any time soon! In response to Doug Batchelor of Amazing Facts, I respectfully say, "you are wrong sir." If the named brothers of Jesus were Joseph's sons from a previous marriage, they could not possibly have been his half brothers, as Joseph was not the biological father of Jesus. These would have been the step brothers of Jesus and, really, no brothers at all. The only evidence Batchelor offered for his position was the scene at the crucifixion when Jesus commended Mary to the care of John the Apostle. Batchelor's argument basically asked why Jesus would assign the care of Mary to John if she had blood related sons who could have easily stepped in to care for their mother. Remember, at the time of the crucifixion, Christ's brothers were not followers. In fact, scripture reveals that Jesus' brothers did not believe he was the Messiah, at least until after the resurrection. Mark makes this point in his Gospel: Mark 3:31-35 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers are outside, seeking you." And he answered them, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother." Jesus' statement in this passage shows that Jesus has disassociated Himself from his family due to their unbelief. It is only after the resurrection, when Jesus appears to His brother James that this changes and James eventually takes on the role of the head of the church in Jerusalem. We must be careful not to add to or take away from scripture. In the case of Amazing Facts Radio we see the adding to scripture something that has zero evidence for support. Nowhere in scripture do we see any evidence whatsoever to suggest that Joseph was married before Mary or that he brought other children to the marriage. In the case of Catholic doctrine, truth is removed for the sake of a faulty doctrine that did not come into existence until the second century. If one took the Bible and read it without any outside interference, one would certainly walk away believing that Jesus was born of a virgin but that His mother and Joseph had relations after His birth, relations which produced 4 brothers and an unspecified number of sisters. It is logically irrefutable that Jesus had half brothers and sisters born to Mary and Joseph. Only by making wild assumptions of silly suppositions can the case be made that the brothers of Jesus were step brothers or cousins.
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Saturday, December 13, 2014

I wonder at what point the Vatican will consider a recall, if such a thing is even possible, on it's election of Jorge Bergoglio as the current Pope. It seems that nary a week goes by that Pope Francis does not spout off some nonsense that is in opposition to official Roman Catholic doctrine, not to mention the clear teaching of Scripture. The so called Vicar of Christ has reached new levels of bufoonery with his latest pronouncement that all animals will go to heaven. The exact quote, "One day we will see our animals again in eternity of Christ. Paradise is open to all God's creatures." This statement, on it's own merits is utter foolishness, but when one takes into account the source of such verbal tripe, this statement becomes something all together different, it becomes heresy. Pope Francis has crafted an "aw shucks" image for the world to fawn over. Progressives like atheist Bill Mahr, who openly mock God and Christianity, has nothing but praise for Pope Francis. The non believing world loves Francis more than any other Pope in history. Pope Francis parades around like a rock star on tour and spouts anti-christian rhetoric while godless media elites sing his praises. The Bible says, in James 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.How can Francis claim to speak for God and yet be so enamored by the World. I believe that this Pope has a sinister agenda and is slowly destroying the Gospel message of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Francis' pronouncement that "paradise is open to all God's creatures." is theologically absurd for a number of reasons. First of all, the Bible tells us in I Corinthians 15 that there is a distinction between the flesh of animals and the flesh of man. I Corinthians 15 deals with resurrection. If "all God's creatures" were to be resurrected, why distinguish between the flesh of animals and the flesh of man? Jesus came to earth as a man and died for the sins of men, not animals. To claim that Christ's death, as Francis alluded to, redeems animals is a mockery of the crucifixion. God created angels, and some of those angels chose to rebel. The rebellious angels are God's creatures by the nature that He created them. The book of Jude refers to a group of angels who are chained in darkness awaiting judgement. According to Pope Francis, these angels should have nothing to fear when they stand before God, because "all God's creatures" will go to heaven. Jesus, Himself, as recorded in Matthew 25, declared that hell is created for Satan and his angels. If God created Satan and the other angels, and Jesus tells us that they are destined for hell, then either the Vicar of Christ is wrong or the real Christ is a liar... Pope Francis is not the "regular guy" as he portrays himself, he is something much more dark and diabolical. Conservatives in the Roman Catholic Church are very aware of, and concerned about, the subversion of truth being perpetrated by Francis. One conservative bishop has been quoted as saying, "Inside the Church and recently from some of it's highest circles, new winds blow that aren't from the Holy Spirit." (emphasis added) As I have stated in my last blog, Gospel believing Catholics may be faced with a difficult choice, Jesus or the Pope, the Bible or the Papacy. This choice may be forced sooner rather than later. It would be easy to view the Pope as a paper tiger who can spout off any inanity and, unlike a president or prime minister, has no real authority or power. This is a dangerous assumption. The Bible teaches that there will be a world leader who will deceive the whole world. This world leader, known as the Man of Sin, or Anti-Christ, will be heralded by a false prophet, a religious leader who will cause most of the world to worship this false messiah. I believe that Pope Francis may very well be that false prophet spoken of in the book of Revelation. If he is not, he is surely a false prophet, paving the way for the real false prophet and giving us a preview of how one man can misdirect billions of people through a false humility and platitudinous pronouncements that are contrary to Biblical truth. Pope Francis is not a harmless, grandfatherly character who loves everyone and wants the world to come to Christ, he is a dangerously deceptive agent of darkness that is turning the focus of the Church away from Christ and making a mockery of our Savior's sacrifice. Francis is purging the upper levels of the Vatican of conservative cardinals and appointing his own legion of theological heretics. When a man is appointed as the spokesman of God, and is given the same credibility as an Apostle, what he says and does theologically matters. Pope Francis is not a fool and is worse than a heretic, he is, in my estimation, a shepherd of Satan and leading millions astray.

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Just one week after the United States turned the National Cathedral over to Satan, by allowing Islamic prayers, Pope Francis pays homage to Great Deceiver in a Turkish Mosque. Pope Francis traveled to Turkey and entered the Sultan Ahmet Mosque, removed his shoes and prayed towards Mecca, clearly emulating the evil prayers made to Allah by Muslims. By doing so, Francis, whether he admits it or not, has declared Islam and Christianity as equal. Apparently, Francis' version of Christianity is no better than the Luciferian worship that goes on inside Mosques around the world. As I pointed out in my previous blog ISLAM IS SATANISM(click to read), Allah is not the God of the Bible. The god of Islam calls for murder and rewards his followers with unlimited sex and alcohol in the after life. This is not really compatible with anything found in the teachings of Christ, now is it? Pope Francis should be ashamed of himself, as his actions spit in the face of the one true God. Islam teaches that Allah has no son, while the Bible is clear that Jesus is the Son of God, a title that Christ used in reference to Himself numerous times. If Islam is a valid religion, then the Bible is wrong and Christ is a liar. The simple fact is that Christianity cannot be compatible with Islam, as Islam is a religion of evil and light has no fellowship with darkness. Francis, as a so called appointed leader of Christianity, has failed to uphold the faith over which he claims to officiate. Francis has embraced the darkness and called it good. Pope Francis, who carries the title Vicar of Christ has denied the truth of Christ by praying according to the manner of Islam. I am more fully convinced than ever that Francis is a false prophet and puppet of Satan, being used to trample the Gospel and replace it with a liberal social agenda disguised as humanitarianism. Francis has made so many inflammatory remarks that contradict Roman Catholic belief and practice that the Vatican has all but given up on any attempt to clear up his statements by "explaining what he really meant." Francis has taken a definite stance on homosexuality and abortion that is in direct opposition to Catholic doctrine. Recently, Francis attempted to address the possibility of female ordination, for which the rest of the Vatican leadership clearly opposed. Francis is undoubtedly attempting to turn Roman Catholicism into an ecumenical organization that excludes the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. While there are many points of disagreement between evangelical Christianity and Roman Catholicism, the person and work of Christ has always been a common factor on which both sides can unite. If Francis is successful in his mission, that common factor will no longer exist and many faithful Catholics will be forced to choose between Jesus Christ and the Vicar of Christ. Pope Francis, with his false humility and "regular guy" persona, is attempting to subvert 2000 years of Christian truth by symbolically uniting Islam with Christianity. Unfortunately, Francis is viewed by most of the world as the defacto leader of Christianity, when in fact, he does not speak for God nor the Bible, but instead, shows contempt for true Biblical Christianity. As I have stated, I believe that Pope Francis is a tool if Satan, being used to drive the world further and further from the truth of Jesus Christ. God has graciously provided us with redemption through the death burial and resurrection of Christ our savior. Satan wants to lead the world astray and keep man from reconciling himself to God through Christ. It seems Pope Francis is doing his part to help Satan accomplish his goals.

Saturday, November 1, 2014

As I look at Leviticus 23 and see the Feasts of the LORD, it actually excites me to see how much detail went into the observances of the feasts and how that detail is intricately tied to Jesus Christ and the Church. The feast that I want to focus on here is the Feast of Weeks, or Pentecost. The church had it's official beginning during the observance of this feast in Jerusalem, 49 days after Christ rose from the dead. An in depth study of Leviticus 23 reveals that the major Feasts God prescribed for Israel to observe had everything to do with preparing the people for the coming of the Messiah and ushering in the Age of Grace. Jesus was crucified on Passover, becoming our Passover Lamb, who takes away the sins of the world. The very next day, begins the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Jesus is the Bread of Life and begins this feast "in the belly of the earth", a clear reference to bread being devoured, unleavened bread - meaning bread without sin. Three days later, the first day after the first Sabbath after the Passover, Christ rose again on a day set aside by God as First Fruits. This was the day when the Israelites were commanded to present the first of their harvest before YHWH. Jesus is the First Fruits of the church age, the first resurrection. Christ is called the First Fruits by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 15, where Paul discusses the resurrection of the Messiah. Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Passover by His death and fulfilled the Feast of First Fruits by His resurrection. The birth of the Church, 49 days later, fulfills the Feast of Weeks. There are 7 major Feasts commanded by God for Israel to observe, 4, the Spring feasts, have been fulfilled by the death, burial, resurrection of Christ and the birth of the Church. Three Fall feasts are yet to be fulfilled by the return of Christ - Trumpets, Atonement, and Booths. All of the Spring feasts found their fulfillment outside the church age, meaning that the church did not exist when these feasts were fulfilled by Christ. The fulfillment of the 4th and final Spring feast actually inaugurated the Church age. The reason being is that these Feasts were given specifically to Israel, not the Church. As the children of Israel were about to enter into the Promised Land, God dictated to Moses these feast to be observed by "all your generations." When we realize that all 7 feasts were specifically given, by God, to Israel, to be observed by "all your generations", and that the first 4 feasts found their fulfillment before the church existed, it is reasonable to deduce that the final 3 feasts will also be fulfilled during a time when the church is not in existence. The 3 fall feasts were given by God to Israel and belong to Israel, not the Church. I believe that at the fulfillment of the Feast of Trumpets, the church age will end and God will begin the 70th week of Daniel, a time referred to by the prophet Jeremiah, as the time of Jacob's trouble. This would be the time known to the Church as the Seven Year Tribulation. I would like to take the time to focus specifically on the Feast of Weeks, to demonstrate that the Church does not replace Israel, but is a new and different thing that is given the same blessings and inclusion as Israel. Inclusion into the family of God, designated as "saints" and "the elect" but not the fullness of the saints or the elect, who are specifically any one who responds to God according to the dispensational program in which they happen to live. In each age, God required faith, but that faith was demonstrated differently in each age. Adam's faith was demonstrated by abstaining from the fruit of good and evil, Abraham's faith was demonstrated by his obeying God's calling, up to and including the offering of his own son, Isaac, as a sacrifice, Israel's faith was determined by the observance of the Law, the church age people are called to trust in the sacrifice of Christ and to live transformed lives, and after the church age, according to Jesus in Mathew 25 and James, the brother of Christ, we see faith being demonstrated as proper treatment of the poor and persecuted. All these periods of time produced saints. Saints are not exclusively the church, nor are individual members of the church specifically the elect, but corporately grafted into election, which, I believe, specifically belongs to Israel as a nation. (that will be addressed in a different blog on a different day) In Leviticus 23:15-21, we see God's intricate directions to Moses, concerning the Feast of Weeks. The First thing that stands out to me is in verse 15: "You shall count seven full weeks from the day after the Sabbath, from the day that you brought the sheaf of the wave offering. Seven is seen in the Bible as the number of completion. That Israel is told to mark out 7 weeks from the Feast of First Fruits indicates that this is a completion of something. I posit that this instruction was given to Israel to indicate the end of the age of the Law. This becomes more evident when we examine the next verse along with the events of Acts 2. Lev 23:16 You shall count fifty days to the day after the seventh Sabbath. Then you shall present a grain offering of new grain to the LORD. We see that one day after the completion of 7 weeks, the nation of Israel is commanded to observe the Feast of Weeks. In other words, after 7 Sabbaths, the next day is a feast unto the Lord. The significance to us is the events recorded in Acts 2 in relation to this very observance.

When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians andMedes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.

14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them:

After Peter addresses this crowd, 3000 people put their faith in Christ and the church is born. As with many Bible passages, this one is filled with layers of meanings, which, when coupled with the passages from Leviticus 23, take on even more significance. The first thing to note is that God instructed Israel to observe this day 7 Sabbaths after the Feast of First Fruits. Jesus resurrected on the Feast of First fruits, so 7 Sabbaths and one day after the resurrection of Christ, the Church is born on the day of Pentecost. As noted above, 7 is the Biblical number of completion. 7 Sabbaths after the resurrection of Messiah, we see the end of the age of the Law. Here is the evidence - The men who were in Jerusalem during the Feast of Pentecost were observant Jews who followed the Law. By this designation, these men would have been "right with God" under the dictates of the Law. If these men were already in God's good grace, why would they have needed to receive Christ? I submit to you that the previous day, on God's calendar, the age of the Law was no more and something new and previously unknown was beginning - the age of grace. The Law was unable to redeem mankind from sin, but people of faith demonstrated that faith by observing the Law. In the age of grace, people of faith are called to place that faith in Jesus Christ alone for salvation. These men of faith transferred their allegiance from the law to Christ, being persuaded by Peter's revelation that everything written in the Law and Prophets was meant to reveal the Messiah, who had now procured salvation for all who would believe.

If the Church were not a new thing, the faithful Jewish men would not have needed to transfer their allegiance to Christ on that day, they would have still been covered by the provisions of the Law. The Law was no longer sufficient as a demonstration of faith because the truth of the Messiah had been revealed and a new dispensation or covenant was in effect. Just as the age of the Law was inaugurated at Mt. Sinai with the giving of the 10 Commandments, so did the age of Law come to an end on the Day of Pentecost following the resurrection of Christ. The fact that the death, resurrection and beginning of the church age all took place on feast days directed by God in Leviticus 23 bespeaks of the desire of God to convey to His people Israel that the Blessed Hope, Messiah, had now come and a new age had dawned. Even though the church age had now dawned, it was not until the Jewish leaders, who represented the people before God, rejected the church, that the church became a primarily gentile program and God's direct care and focus on Israel shifted to the Church. Israel, as a nation rejected Christ and then rejected the advent of the church. This rejection culminated in the final destruction of the nation of Israel in 70 AD. From that day, up to the German holocaust, Israel had been the most persecuted and despised group of people on earth. Despite this hatred and persecution, the Jewish people managed to prosper and remain viable as a people group, undoubtedly, due to the direct intervention and protection of God. Israel may have been out of direct fellowship with God, but the fact remained that God had made certain promises to Israel that can never be retracted or broken, Israel remains God's chosen people, God's elect. This fact is demonstrated most saliently by the unlikely and unprecedented rebirth of the nation of Israel in 1948. Israel remains a distinct people group, to whom God has promised a future redemption and kingdom. The Church remains separate and distinct from Israel and the promises made to Israel by God. Scripture states that we are grafted into the blessings and election of Israel, but clearly a distinct entity.

Just as the age of the Law had a distinct beginning and ending, so to the church age has a distinct beginning and will have a distinct ending at which point God will focus His full attention back on the nation of Israel to prepare them for their final redemption. This period of time is described in Revelation chapters 4-19.

Back to Leviticus 23, in verse 17, we notice something else that is very notable in relation to the church: You shall bring from your dwelling places two loaves of bread to be waved, made of two tenths of an ephah. They shall be of fine flour, and they shall be baked with leaven, as firstfruits to the LORD. The fact that the bread presented before God in this instance contains leaven is very important. In the Passover and feast of Unleavened bread, it is imperative that the bread be without leaven because that bread represented Jesus, the Bread of Life, who was without sin. In this feast, which ushers in the church age, we see the bread contains leaven, which represents sin. This bread is symbolic of the Church. We come to God with our sins and seek forgiveness. The prerequisite to salvation is that we acknowledge our sinfulness and present it before God. I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. The two loaves represent the dual nature of man, we are physical and spiritual and twice dead. Through salvation, we can escape spiritual death. As sons of Adam, we are wholly sinful, both physically and spiritually, that is why 2 leavened loaves are presented to God as acknowledgement our fallen nature, both physically and spiritually. It is only when we acknowledge our brokenness before God that we can receive redemption through Christ.

Verse 18 and 19 drive this point home: And you shall present with the bread seven lambs a year old without blemish, and one bull from the herd and two rams. They shall be a burnt offering to the LORD, with their grain offering and their drink offerings, a food offering with a pleasing aroma to the LORD.

And you shall offer one male goat for a sin offering, and two male lambs a year old as a sacrifice of peace offerings. Jesus replaces the sin and peace offerings as the perfect sacrifice. Through His death and resurrection, we receive forgiveness of sin and are able to attain peace with God. Jesus is our sin and peace offering. First we acknowledge our complete sinfulness before God, both physical and spiritual, and then we accept Christ as the perfect sacrifice to remove that sin and bring us into fellowship with God. Notice how this comes together perfectly in the next verse.

Leviticus 23:20 And the priest shall wave them with the bread of the firstfruits as a wave offering before the LORD, with the two lambs. They shall be holy to the LORD for the priest. Once our acknowledged sinfulness is presented to God along with the sacrifice of Christ, we are made Holy unto the LORD. We are now set apart and counted as one of the elect. The people of Israel were called to repeat this ceremony over and over for all generations, we come to the altar once and receive forgiveness for sin once and for all. When the Temple was destroyed by Rome, the people of Israel were no longer able to meet the requirements of the Law. It is currently impossible for anyone to demonstrate faith by observing the Law because the Temple and sacrificial system no longer exist. There is only one sacrifice that remains available for both Jew and gentile alike, the sacrifice of the Lamb Of God - Yeshua Ha Meshiac - Jesus Christ. The next verse is the last one in Leviticus that will be considered, verse 21:And you shall make a proclamation on the same day. You shall hold a holy convocation. You shall not do any ordinary work. It is a statute forever in all your dwelling places throughout your generations. Here we see the call to cease from all work. This is a major theme of the book of Hebrews which refers to salvation in Christ as a Sabbath rest for the believer. We no longer work toward our salvation as all the work was accomplished by Christ on the cross. We can now enter a rest, confident and secure in the knowledge that we are forgiven and at peace with God by virtue of the perfect sacrifice, which is Christ. We now work to promote His kingdom and to fulfill the great commission, making disciples of all nations. Our work is a by product of our faith and salvation.

Leviticus 23:15-21 finds it's fulfillment in Acts 2. God has made clear that the Feasts were for Israel and thus as a sign to them that they might recognize the time of the Messiah and His ushering in of a new age of grace. The age of Grace will end, just as it began, just as the age of the Law had a beginning and an end. The next age will come at the end of the age of grace and will last 7 years. The coming age will be a program of faith in Christ mixed with specific works prescribed by Christ in Mathew 25 and reiterated by James in his epistle. This coming age will be presided over by the Anti-Christ on one side and 144,000 Jewish followers of Christ, their converts and the nation of Israel on the other. The "saints" and "elect" of that dispensation are separate and distinct from the saints and elect from the church age and will have a different demonstration of faith required of them. James tells this group "You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone." We compare this to what Paul tells the church: Ephesians 2:8-9 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. According to the greeting made by Paul in his letter to the Ephesian, he clearly addresses it to the saints in Christ, James address his letter to "the 12 tribes in the dispersion." I believe this is a direct identification of the 144,000 Jewish evangelists in Revelation, "12,000 from each tribe." The church age will end and a new age will dawn, not the age of Aquarius longed for by the humanists, but an age of reckoning for mankind, an age where God will pour out His wrath on mankind and purify Israel His chosen and elect people, preparing them as a nation to receive the kingdom He promised to them thousands of years ago.

Monday, September 15, 2014

Radical Islam has been masquerading as a peaceful religion in America for some time now. Little by little, thanks in part to America's weak stance on the inherent dangers of this twisted religion of Satan, Islam's true agenda is being revealed around America. In my last blog, I featured a video showing terrorist sympathizers in Miami Fl, protesting in front of the Israeli consulate chanting "we are Hamas," and "god only loves Jihadists." CLICK HERE TO SEE LAST BLOG As our government policies continue to exhibit a pusillanimous position toward radical Islam, the Mohammedans are becoming increasingly emboldened, revealing the true hatred that is the driving force behind Koranic teaching. In this latest video, an Islamic student at The University of California San Diego declares her support for the annihilation of all Jews.

Author and speaker, David Horowitz, was speaking at UCSD, when a Muslim Student Association(MSA) member got up to ask Mr. Horowitz a question. In the preface of her question, the young lady announces the MSA's upcoming Hitler Youth week, and invites everyone to come out and support the event. As the conversation ensues, the young lady refuses to condemn Hamas as a terrorist organization and later admits that she supports the notion that it is better that all the Jews gather in Israel in order to make it easier for Muslim's to kill them. This type of hate and vitriol is permeating college campuses across America in the form of groups like the MSA, which has ties to the Muslim Brotherhood. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Freedom loving Americans had better wake up and demand these groups be investigated by the federal government. As the IRS and NSA continue to focus on conservatives and Christian groups, radical Islamists are running amok, raising money and promoting their diabolical Sharia agenda. just imagine what will happen when these agents of Satan are elected into positions of leadership and start legislating their repressive agendas. Remember, Adolph Hitler did not violate German law, he changed it to fit his maniacal plans. Millions of would be Hitlers are floating around our colleges and universities recruiting and raising funds to support Jihad.

Our society has been turned on it's head by liberal thought and practice. We see a student receiving discipline for saying "Bless you" in a classroom CLICK HERE FOR UNBELIEVABLE ARTICLE while radicals can call for Jihad in the streets of Miami.

What can we do? First and foremost, we must pray, for our country and it's leadership, for protection from terrorists, and for the souls of those who are blinded by the false god Allah. Next, we need to contact our elected official and demand that these groups be scrutinized and monitored. If our officials do not want to do their jobs, vote them out and elect men and women who have true convictions and the fortitude to act upon them. Finally, we need to educate people about the true nature and goals of Islam. Islam is a Satanic cult at it's core. Unless we expose the not so hidden agenda of Islam, we will see more terrorist acts on American soil. We have to expect evil to behave evilly, or else we will be caught off guard and suffer at the hands of those who hate everything America stands for.

Thursday, September 4, 2014

WARNING: GRAPHIC VIDEO CONTENTRadical Islam is gaining a dangerous foothold in our country. If left unchecked and unimpeded, we will see the complete destruction of American culture. In the streets of Miami, Muslims gathered outside the Israeli consulate and chanted "we are Hamas!"There should be no doubt in the mind of any rational human being that Hamas is a terrorist organization. Multiculturalism and political correctness have created an atmosphere conducive to the proliferation of astounding public displays by people who are actively working to destroy the very fabric of freedom in America. I am posting this video because I believe it is time for America to wake up and realize that these so called devout people, these radical Islamists, are any thing but holy and peaceful. The video has graphic language and vulgar gestures, but I feel the overall content is so important that God fearing, freedom loving Americans must be made aware of what is going on right here in our own cities. ISLAMISTS SHOWING TRUE COLORS IN MIAMI

This post is meant to educate and inform. It is not meant to foment hatred or violence. It is meant to draw attention to the fact that terrorists are in America and will begin to escalate their activities. At the end of the video, the chanting continues and the most disturbing line of all is "Allah loves all those who die in jihad." This is chanted in Arabic, so no American would have any idea what is being said without an interpreter, but the message is loud and clear. Islam is satanism, pure and simple. To see why I believe Islam is the true religion of Satan, please click on this link. MY BLOG - ISLAM IS SATANISMI apologize for the vulgar language and content of the video above, and I am even more sorry that this is happening in our so called Christian nation. Radical Islam will not rest until Sharia law is the law of the land, not only in Arab nations, but in all the world.

Monday, August 18, 2014

As I ponder the American perspective on Christian blessing, I suspect many of us in the church have missed the point. When I think of blessing, my mind goes to the idea of getting something. I so often associate God's blessing with receiving material gain or that which will ease my life in some way. Seldom am I not pondering what would make my life easier. If I only had more money, if I only had more time to pursue my interests, if I only had more.... it never ends. This is because my perception is warped and tainted by the idea of the American Dream. I love America and consider myself a patriot, but I also recognize that I have to be a Christian first. My spiritual life cannot be shaped by my perceived right to the pursuit of happiness.I have been mulling over the idea of blessings and the purpose for them in the life of a believer. I truly believe God loves His people and wants to bless us, but maybe not in the way we might think. God's blessing is not meant to enrich us or make our life a cakewalk, it is designed to provide us for service in His kingdom. Enrichment and leisure can be as much as a snare as it can be a blessing, depending on how they are utilized, blessing is always meant to benefit us in serving God.Blessing is ultimately tied to obedience. As we seek to do the will of God in our lives, He provides us with the resources and training to accomplish His will. Following God's commands is not a matter of what we can or cannot do as much as it is being where God wants us when He wants us there. I envision this as when a soldier arrives at boot camp for the first time. Everything that soldier needs to be successful is provided to him, he needs only do as he is directed to receive all he needs. As followers of Christ, we are indwelt by the Spirit of God. The Spirit is our counselor, our instructor, our guide and our conscience. All that we need to serve God is made available to us, we just need to do as we are directed to do by the Spirit. This eliminates the endless "what if" scenarios that we waste so much time debating. This helps us to see clearly the line between obedience and sin. There are things that are always sin, such as stealing, murder and immorality, but the so called gray areas are what often trip us up. The HolySpirit acts as our guide to lead us where we need to be to receive the training and provision to accomplish His mission for us. We get distracted seeking fulfillment in pleasure, leisure and accumulation of stuff and that fulfillment is short lived and often plain elusive. True fulfillment is always found in discovering who we are in Christ and operating according to the gifting which He has given(blessed) us.

Monday, August 11, 2014

Comic actor Robin Williams died today at 63. His death is a suspected Suicide. This is a tragic loss for his family and loved ones. The press releases claim that Williams was suffering from depression and had recently been in an alcohol treatment program. Robin Williams has never claimed to have faith in Christ and often mocked religion and godly principles in his act. What could life have been like for Williams had he embraced a relationship with his creator?

I have not been much of a Robin Williams fan since his Mork and Mindy days, due to his profanity laced comedy and ultra left leaning viewpoints. Nonetheless, it is truly tragic to see someone choose to take their own life. From the outside looking in, one could ask the question: "What would make you happy Robin Williams." On the surface, it appears that Robin Williams had everything life could possibly offer. Everything except peace... Depression and substance abuse are serious issues that rob not only from the person struggling with these issues, but those closest to them. William's story sadly reminds us that money, fame, and power are no substitute for peace and contentment.

Williams, like others who pursued fame and fortune attained wealth beyond his wildest dreams. His addiction to alcohol and struggle with depression would suggest that what he once believed would fulfill him did not. Sadly, Williams took what he saw as his only option without having given Christ a chance to deliver him. There is a lesson for others in this tragedy, having it all can still leave us with nothing. Williams, like others before him, attained all the pleasures and wealth that this world has to offer and he found it was completely unsatisfying.

King Solomon came to the same conclusion toward the end of his life, as demonstrated in the book of Ecclesiastes. The difference between Solomon and Robin Williams is that Solomon recognized the supremacy of God and realized that the only pursuit that could fully satisfy a man was the pursuit of God. Solomon realized, after having experienced all that the world had to offer, that only God could fill the void in a man's life. Sadly Robin Williams never discovered this truth.

As believers, we need to realize that people around us may seem to have it all and may seem to be on top of the world, but are secretly struggling with deep and dark issues. Part of our quest to be salt and light is being sensitive to people and their struggles, loving them where they are and taking opportunities to share the love of Christ with them. It seems cliche to say "Jesus is the answer" but the fact of the matter truly is: Jesus is the answer.

How I wish that Robin Williams could have found peace with God before his struggles overwhelmed him to the point of taking his own life. Williams, apparently, saw no hope. God is the author of hope. It may be too late for Robin Williams to find the peace he so desperately craved, but there are people we know who are experiencing similar struggles. We need to care enough to reach out and gently and lovingly guide them to the Author of peace. People who are struggling do not need to be beaten over the head or dictated to, but rather befriended and loved. People who are searching for peace need to see God's love, care and patience demonstrated through us.

My prayers are with Robin Williams' loved ones and others who are struggling with similar issues. I pray that they may find the peace and love of God that seemed to evade Williams. I pray that as a believer, I can be sensitive to others who are finding the struggles of life overwhelming and be empowered by the Spirit of God to share the good news concerning the Prince of Peace.

Monday, August 4, 2014

In an isolated land, a young man found a book, detailing a vast kingdom, far away. The kingdom was very different from the young man's own home and the lad yearned to journey to the strange and wondrous place. The young man told others in his village about the book and the kingdom, but they only scoffed at him, yet he believed it must exist. The young man studied the book night after night and finally, he decided to find out, once and for all, if the kingdom was real. The young man gathered up his meager resources and set out towards the setting sun, as he had read of an ocean sunset, in the book.

Many would say that the young man in the above story is a fool, but in reality, he demonstrated bravery by not fearing the unknown, and wisdom by seeking truth, in essence, he exercised faith. We have a book that details a wondrous kingdom, ruled by a mighty and loving king. Our book tells us the way to that kingdom and what we must do to be counted as part of that kingdom. The Son of the King has provided us with all we need to make our journey. We must also exercise our faith to embark on this journey, and that faith is given to us by the King.

Many years ago, I embarked on a spiritual journey to seek the Kingdom of God. I have a Book that tells me to "Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you." At first, my journey was met by some opposition, one friend, in particular, had a difficult time with the changes I was making, nevertheless, I continued on my journey. Now, over 20 years later, I have never regretted embarking on my search for truth.

I believe that the Bible is the infallible and literal Word of God. Many so called scholars of academia have attacked the Bible, calling it foolishness. The Bible says that God will use the foolish things to confound the wise, and those who would attack the Bible from an intellectual point of view are demonstrating the greatest of foolishness, indeed.

I do not claim to fully understand everything in the Bible, in fact, the more I learn, the more I realize I do not know, but I have found that the Bible is able to stand up to any challenge that is thrown at it. I have found amazing truth and astounding events in the pages of scripture, and never once has any archaeological, historical, or modern evidence been found to disprove anything found in scripture. In fact, quite the opposite is true, the more archaeological and historical material that is found, the more evidence for the truth of God;s word is presented.

Believer, we are in a world that is the domain of Satan, and he is bent on destroying the work of God. One of Satan's favorite ploys is to debunk the Bible. As the world around us becomes increasingly hostile toward the things of God, I believe that a concerted effort will be waged to discredit God's holy Word. In the coming months and years, we will see increased attacks on the Word of God, but we must stand strong. We must study, learn, memorize and not be afraid to ask the tough questions now, before we are challenged and find ourselves outgunned because we did not do our due diligence.

If a person is truly searching for truth, they will find it in the Bible. Though many campaigns have been attempted against the Scripture, none has succeeded. As believers, we no longer have the luxury of half-hearted, lackadaisical, Bible study. We no longer have the luxury of letting someone else exclusively tell us what the Bible says, we must learn it for ourselves. When your faith is challenged, it is God's word that will help you stand on truth. If you do not know the Word, or understand what it is teaching, you may find yourself in a very difficult position.

Society and culture are increasingly becoming hostile to Biblical truth, it will only get worse. The time is now to prepare and fortify your faith and to make sure believers around you are doing the same. Spend time daily in the word. The Kingdom is real and many will try to convince us that it is not and many will call us fools for believing. Prepare now and know what you believe and why you believe it, that you may stand strong on your journey and that you may help others on theirs.

Sunday, July 20, 2014

I am absolutely dumbfounded at the international reaction to Israel attempting to defend itself from Hamas rocket attacks. As I scan the news and see protests in major European cities, protests in which thousands, according to world news headlines, are turning out against Israel, I am completely dumbfounded. I cannot imagine that any thinking person can logically defend an anti-Israel position on this point. The only possible reason to hold an anti-Israel position in this particular case is a fundamental hatred for Israel. It is no surprise that Muslims around the world are protesting against Israel in this case. Islamic leaders from numerous countries have made no secret of their hatred for Israel and have made repeated threats to "throw the Jews into the sea". Those who practice radical Islam and follow the Koran literally hate Christians and hate Jews... period.

More protests in Europe

A few days ago, I wrote about Islam being Satanism.

click here to read "Islam is Satanism" What other motivation could engender such overt and fierce hatred towards the only two groups who follow the Bible, besides satanic influence? If you are not an Islamist, and you are feeling that Israel is wrong in this current military action, I would like to share some facts with you. First, Hamas attacked Israel first. Rockets came out of Gaza with the sole intent of killing Jews. Second, Israel has attempted to abide by two separate cease fires, one called for by Egypt and the other called for by the UN. Each time, Israel was ready to begin negotiating for peace and each time Hamas continued to fire rockets into Israel, with the sole intent of killing Jews.Third, Hamas is firing rockets into populated areas of Israel in order to kill civilians, the attacks are not on military targets, Palestinian attacks are designed with the sole intent of killing Jews. Fourth, Israel has sent warnings to populated areas before sending rockets in an attempt to minimize the civilian casualties in Gaza. Unfortunately, the radical Islamists have very little regard for the lives of the Palestinian people, as they are storing weapons in apartment buildings, mosques, schools and hospitals. Israel is firing on Hamas military targets, but Hamas has seen fit to place these targets in populated areas, so when Israel takes out a weapons cache, it is forced to take out a hospital, school or apartment building in the process. Hamas uses this tactic to bring world opinion against Israel. Hamas is purposely placing it's most vulnerable citizens in harms way. Fifth, the world press is characterizing Israel's response to attack as "Israel's war against Hamas", or "The Israeli offensive in Gaza". This is yellow journalism and does not represent the fact that Israel was attacked and is attempting to defend against the murderous intent of Hamas. The world press is quick to show pictures of Palestinian civilians suffering from the "relentless and brutal attacks" from Israel. Reports continually show the heavy damage suffered by Gaza and the relatively minor damage suffered by Israel, presenting the image of big bully Israel beating up on it's weak, defenseless neighbor. The truth is, Israel is surrounded by nations who have openly declared their intent to destroy Israel and wipe it from the map. Israel has taken the steps necessary to protect itself from such attacks as those coming out of Gaza. This is the only reason Israel is suffering minor damage as compared to the damage being inflicted in Hamas. I have to ask you, if an angry mob showed up at your house and began firing bullets and throwing Molotov cocktails through your window, would you run outside and try to negotiate with them? Would you offer them part or all of your property for them to live on as a condition of peace? If you had the ability to protect your home and you had the firepower to defend against such an attack, would you not use every resource at your disposal to protect the lives of your family? It is ludicrous to expect anything different of Israel. There is no international police force coming in to arrest the perpetrators of these Hamasian attacks. There is not Global 911 that Israel can call. Israel is on it's own and has the choice to defend itself or die. Israel's counterattacks have been designed to put an end to rocket attacks, Hamas' attacks have been designed with the sole intent of killing Jews. Israel's ground invasion is meant to destroy rocket launchers and tunnels used by terrorists to sneak into Israel to wreak havoc. Common sense would dictate that logical, thinking people would support a nation attempting to defend itself. Common sense should also dictate that world opinion would be negative towards those who are condemning Israel for attempting to protect it's people. Sadly, when it comes to Israel, common sense has left the building. This is just further evidence that Satan is truly the god of this world, as the Bible has stated. Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and also pray that the Spirit of God would liberate the Palestinian people from the evil of Hamas and Islam. There are many Palestinian Christians who need our prayers and support. Pray that the Christians in Gaza would be able to boldly share their faith and bring a spiritual awakening to the region that would repel the Satanic influences of Islam and bring true peace between Israel and the Palestinian people.